I have recently started breadmaking and am here to learn a lot. Hopefully, I will be a quick study and not waste too much flour!
I did have a question. For those who have used a cast iron dutch oven to bake, is there ever a problem with the oil seasoning reaching its smoke point while preheating? If I smoke up the house and/or ruin my wife's cast iron, my breadmaking days will be over real quick!!!
I have had no trouble.
You're not adding oil to the pan, and even a hot bake like 450F is lower than temperatures routinely used on the stovetop, so I see no way to hurt the pan, or generate much smoke unless the existing seasoning is really funky.
I preheat to 450F and do sometimes set off the smoke detector when I pull the pan out to load the loaf if there's a bit of something in the pan, but no real smoke. I generally run the kitchen fan when I'm taking things in and out of a hot oven.
You can get a good infrared thermometer for $25 and it's a useful tool when getting used to high temperatures. Good mitts are essential.
I am new the the forums too. I have been experimenting with making my own bread and here to learn more. I did not have the issue you mentioned but when i first tried to make my first loaf i was having problems with the yeast. Most yeast mention adding it to lukewarm water (talk about an ambiguous term "lukewarm"). I felt like Goldilocks and the 3 bears the first time was to hot, the next time it was to cold. It took about 5 our six times of before i figured out that "lukewarm" is more of an exact thing. So then i use a thermometer and measured the waters temperature and i found 83 degrees was just right (as Goldilocks said :)
Needless to say i can assist you in your exact request but wanted to share a beginners story with you to let you know we have a steep learning curve and hopefully your bread-making days or just starting.